Ghostgum Pinot Noir - Mornington Peninsula 2022 - Australia

93/100 Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion 
95/100 James Suckling (2021 vintage) 
95/100 Ray Jordan, Wine Pilot (2021 vintage)
95/100 Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot (2021 vintage)
94/100 Angus Hughson, Vinous (2021 vintage)
93/100 Aaron Brasher, The Real Review (2021 vintage)
92/100 Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion (2021 vintage)

Top Wineries Australia - The Real Review 2024

Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion "It’s such an intriguing wine. An austere style, which is totally legit, full of sichuan pepper, poached rhubarb, a little ashy and stemmy, plus an array of cherry accents. There’s also a strong chinotto flavour with salted, dried Chinese plums. Mid-weighted, a fineness to the tannins, the palate awash with sweet-ish fruit, which offsets the charred radicchio/bitter finish."

James Suckling "Very good mid-weighted Pinot Noir, hedging its structural hand with a card of typical strawberry succulence and fruit sweetness. A tingle of whole bunch garden herb thrums against a birdcage of wiry, yet svelte tannin, compressing any overlay of fruit into a sense of savoriness and tension. A little sweet, to be churlish, but New World drinkers will find it far more moreish than most." (2021 vintage)

Ray Jordan, Wine Pilot "A light to medium bodied Pinot that captures so much about the Mornington Peninsula. There is a sense of vineyard expression here which initially strikes on the nose but is then confirmed on the palate. There’s good flesh here with savoury chalky subtleties working with the bright red fruit. Finely integrated with a smooth effortlessly long finish." (2021 vintage)

Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot "Fine balance, excellent length, a really exciting Pinot...Pale crimson in colour, the aromas run through spices, herbs, raspberries, florals, maraschino cherries, and bacon fat, with even gentle nudges of citrus. This is an elegant Pinot, a wine of class and character. Good focus, silky tannins, a wine which dances. Further red fruits emerge on the palate." (2021 vintage)

Angus Hughson, Vinous "The 2021 Pinot Noir Ghostgum Vineyard displays a combination of elegance and power with red cherry, damp earth, and star anise aromas, complemented by a brooding core of charcuterie. It is a finer, ethereal style, with waves of spicy, red berry fruit flavors and a pinpoint balance between fresh acidity and silky tannins. It shows serious finesse and is delicious now but will hold over the medium term." (2021 vintage)

Aaron Brasher, The Real Review "Pale red and light in the glass. Sappy, bunchy aromas of white pepper, blueberry, Campari, rose petal, bramble and dried herbs. Textured, mouth-filling, layered and quite supple and seamless on the palate. There's plenty of fleshy, red fruited flavours along with spice, sap, dried herbs and creamy oak. The length is smart and the tannins have real purpose and drive." (2021 vintage)

Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion "Yarra Valley-based Southern Light Vineyards is part of the Valmorbida family’s burgeoning drinks empire, which sits under the Joval Family wines label. Ghostgum vineyard is an established one at Main Ridge. Are you still with me? Anyway, the wine’s good, the colour less so (some browning to the rim). Lots of punchy, whole-bunch characters somewhat overt and it’ll be polarising as a style. I like it with its peppery and spicy aromas and while sweet-fruited, by and large, it’s savoury. Dark cherries, autumnal damp earth, chinotto and blood orange with an attractive amaro twist. The palate is surprisingly light, tannins ethereal yet in the background, with lots of acidity driving this." (2021 vintage)

Winemaker "Ghostgum Vineyard Pinot Noir has no shortage of aromatic complexity. Dark cherry, raspberry, crushed rose petal, cocoa powder, orange peel, and some whole bunch lift. It is elegant, perfumed, and floral. The wine is mid-weight with a lively palate, showing sweet red fruits, white pepper, amaro character, and a richness that is well balanced with fresh acidity. With time, this wine will continue to unfurl and become even more characterful."

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Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion "Joval Wines has been a major player in the wine import/distribution scene for decades and lately has bought several Yarra Valley labels outright. It was only a matter of time before it added a winery to expand the range, including a new label. Enter Southern Lights Vineyards. Previously known as Long Gully Estate, an established winery with vineyards, it is the new home of Joval Wine’s suite of cool-climate wines from the Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley. Serious inroads are being undertaken, comprised of new plantings and thoughtful viticulture alongside a commitment to quality. Eye-catching labels, too."

The Real Review "The name Southern Light Vineyards refers to the vital role that sunlight plays in quality grape growing. Here in the southern hemisphere, the sun is one of the most influential factors to consider, and our philosophy is built on crafting distinctive wines that capture each of our vineyards' unique character. We grow grapes in the Mornington Peninsula and the Yarra Valley from three exceptional sites. When it comes to quality grape growing, it's all in the details, like how we manage the canopy, set up the rows, consider the slopes, and factor in the altitude. Every choice made in the vineyard directly affects the character of our wine. Our winery is nestled in Healesville in the Yarra Valley. Purposefully designed for small batch processing, our winery offers the ideal environment for crafting exceptional wines."

Mornington Peninsula is one of Victoria's most important Australian wine regions, located an hour's drive south of Melbourne on the southern coast of Australia. It is one of Australia's coolest winegrowing regions and produces elegant Chardonnay and internationally award winning Pinot Noir wines, and gaining a reputation for its quality medium bodied, peppery shiraz.